Keeper of Myths

by Jasmine Richards

  Dora snorted. “Wait one trotting second! I’m not Pegasus, you know.”

  “I know—” Buzz began.

  “I mean, I don’t have his wings for one,” Dora went on. “And I certainly don’t have his massive ego.”

  Buzz could hear the raw envy in Dora’s voice, and her ears were twitching furiously. Someone was jealous. Buzz knew what needed to be done.

  “Yeah, I guess I’m asking too much.” He had to shout to be heard over the approaching footsteps of the giants. “I just wish Pegasus was here. He’d get us over that boulder no problem.”

  Dora pawed angrily at the ground once more. “Pah. He isn’t that special. It’s more hype than anything else.” She tossed her head. “Watch this.”

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Between Giants

  The horse trotted backward as far as she could go and then raised her head and stared at the boulder. Her whole body pointed toward it like an arrow. “Boy rider, hold on!”

  She cantered forward, her stride soon lengthening to a full gallop. Buzz could feel how hard she was working, the muscles beneath her coat bunching up as she shot upward and soared into the sky.

  The pony’s jump was good. But even as they hurtled through the air, Buzz could see that the boulder was just too tall.

  “Come on, Dora,” Buzz whispered. His wrists began to sting as the armlets heated up once again. He felt the power build there for a moment, and then it was gone, passing through his fingertips and evaporating into the reins in his grasp.

  Dora suddenly arched her body even farther, and they cleared the boulder. Crashing down on the other side, the horse did not even break her stride. With the end of the gorge now in sight, she hurtled forward.

  “Dora, that was amazing!” Buzz yelled.

  “We did it together,” Dora replied, and laughter was in her voice. “I was tired, so tired, and then you helped me. You sent me strength.”

  Buzz looked down at his armlets. They had cooled once again, soothing the skin beneath the metal. He realized that Gu’s gift not only had the ability to make him strong—he could also lend that power to others.

  There was a crashing sound behind them and Buzz realized that another boulder must have rolled into the chasm.

  “Eh, those giants are stubborn,” Ayiyi commented.

  “Come on, Dora.” Skip’s voice drifted in along the canyon, and Buzz saw Mary and Skip waiting for them at the end of the gorge.

  Buzz patted Dora’s neck, feeling the dampness of her coat. “We’re going to mak—”

  He stopped as he heard heavy footsteps right behind them.

  Buzz turned to see a giant figure made of stone, soil, grass, and grit lumbering toward him with massive steps. That last crash hadn’t been a boulder. It had been a giant jumping over the huge rock. He felt the air leave his lungs as another giant strode down the side of the chasm and climbed over the boulder that was still wedged there.

  Dora let out a rasping, wheezing breath as she tried to go faster. Her whole body trembled, and Buzz knew that if he pushed the pony any further, it would be the end of her.

  The giants aren’t going to stop, he thought. They want me. Just me. Buzz stared down at his armlets. Well, they can have me.

  “Ayiyi, get Dora to safety.” Buzz scrambled to dismount.

  “No, we won’t leave you,” Dora cried, coming to a stop. “It’s a giant, for the gods’ sake. Two giants.”

  Buzz stared at the horse. Her brown eyes were wide, scared, and stubborn. “I won’t be long,” he promised. “Now go!”

  “Don’t argue with him.” Ayiyi gathered up the reins. “Good luck.”

  Buzz held up his armlets. “I don’t need luck. I’ve got these.”

  Ayiyi wagged a leg at him. “Remember, strength is not the only strategy.” The spider snapped the reins, and Dora galloped along the final section of the gorge.

  Buzz turned to face the first giant. He beckoned him forward with one hand. “Want me? Come and get me, then!” The giant’s green, mossy face twisted with rage, and his mouth opened, showing teeth that were spikes of rock. He reached out, but Buzz easily skipped to one side. The armlets began to warm on his wrists, and he felt power surge through his body. Buzz felt great. Unstoppable. Shame I don’t have a plan.

  The giant came at him again, and Buzz pushed off the ground, somersaulting through the air for the first time in his life. He trusted the strength and skill the armlets gave him and did not look down as he landed, his feet instinctively finding a safe foothold on the side of the gorge. He started to race up the slope, the strength in his hands and feet propelling him upward.

  I’ll take the giants away from the others, he thought. It’s a start, at least.

  Buzz heard a roar of rage, and then something large whizzed past his ear. He turned to see both giants chasing him, and they were shooting sharp-looking flints from rocky hands thick with moss and decaying leaves. Buzz dipped his head just in time as a stony missile hit the side of the gorge. It smashed apart. The pieces struck at his face like glass.

  As the giants shot more rocks from their fingertips, Buzz carried on scrambling up the wall of the canyon. “Buzz, watch out!” Mary’s voice seemed very far away, but he turned to see that one of the giants was almost upon him. He ducked as a massive hand of stone and moss swiped out at his head. The giant growled with fury, and his left hand lashed out much faster than should be possible for a creature so big, engulfing Buzz.

  “Let go of me!” Buzz yelled. He tried to wriggle out of the giant’s grasp, but the massive hand just squeezed him tighter.

  Stars popped into Buzz’s vision and blended with the gray, the green, and the brown of the hand that held him.

  He could feel a tide of dark washing over him, but he pushed against it. If I pass out, I’m not waking up again.

  He tried to focus on the armlets, wishing for the now familiar strength to come, but it was difficult to think with no breath in his lungs. There was no tingling around his wrists. No heat. Everything felt very far away and not real anymore. He was tired. I’ll just close my eyes.

  A guttural snort and then a growl brought him back from the edge of unconsciousness, and from between the mossy fingers that held him, Buzz saw that the two giants were facing each other. The second giant was pointing furiously to where Buzz was gripped. He clearly wanted his share.

  The first giant pushed the second giant with his free hand. The second giant pushed back.

  Buzz felt the grip around him loosen just a little as they continued pushing each other. He took a deep breath and focused on the armlets. He called the strength to him, and it rushed from the armlets in a flood. The power coursed through him, out of him, and he burst free from the giant’s grip.

  Buzz slammed to the ground with a thud, the impact winding him for a moment. The two giants ignored him even as Buzz staggered to his feet. They had stopped pushing each other and were clenching and unclenching their fists, their faces full of marvel.

  Oh no, Buzz thought. I’ve given them the armlets’ powers. He clenched his hands too, ready to fight them, but the giants were only interested in fighting each other.

  Growling, they started pushing each other again, and then they each pulled an arm back and struck the other with all their strength.

  It was like a stick of dynamite had exploded. Buzz threw an arm up and covered his head and face as fragments of moss, leaves, rock, and chalk rained down from the sky. Then all was quiet.

  Buzz uncovered his face. The giants had gone, replaced by two piles of rock and leaves.

  “Whoa,” a familiar voice said from behind him. “What happened?”

  Buzz turned to see Mary, Skip, Dora, and Ayiyi standing there.

  He held up the armlets, which were cool once more. “These did.” He explained how he’d accidently given the giants his strength.

  “And then they destroyed each other.” Mary let out a low whistle. “We actually came to help, but it looks like you got it sorted out all by y
ourself!”

  Buzz shook his head. “I didn’t do it on purpose.”

  “Doesn’t matter,” Ayiyi said. “The result is the same, and you learned something, no?”

  “I guess. I learned not to insult giants.”

  The spider laughed. “Not just that. You learned that sometimes one has to give power away to win the day.”

  “If you say so.” Buzz frowned. “But I’m never giving these armlets away. Not ever.” He looked at the remains of the giants. “Poor guys. If I’d just kept my mouth shut, they’d be alive.”

  “Eh, don’t worry about that. They’ll pull themselves back together soon enough,” the spider said. “We’d just better be far away from here when they do.”

  Buzz looked more closely at the two hillocks of stones, moss, and leaves. They were vibrating, fizzing with energy, drawing together.

  He jumped on Dora. “Let’s get out of here.”

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  The Trouble with Pigs

  “Buzz, slow down a bit, would you?” Mary said. “Skip and Dora have been through a lot.”

  “We can’t.” Buzz continued to look ahead. “The longer we take to find the wisdom path, the less likely we are to find the Keeper’s temple. Ratatosk warned us.”

  “I know.” Mary’s voice was sharp. “But these horses are in our care. That means we look after them.”

  Buzz didn’t reply, just urged them onward as the sun began to climb in the sky. The mountain pass sloped steeply and led them to the edge of a valley that curved inward like a basin. It was lush with grass, tall fruit trees, and flowers. On the other side of the valley, Buzz could see several black slabs standing tall and proud against a crisp blue sky. They adorned the mountainside like sculptures in an art gallery. “Look!” Buzz pointed ahead. “I think we’ve found the wisdom path. We just need to cut across the valley.”

  “I wouldn’t go that way if I were you,” a voice said from somewhere overhead.

  Buzz tipped his head back to see a small man sitting on a stone ledge above them. Next to him were several piglets, all trying to squash up against him for comfort.

  The man clucked his tongue and brought out an old blanket that Buzz could smell even though he was several meters away.

  “Here you go, lovelies,” the man cooed to the piglets, as he lay the blanket over their small, pink backs.

  “Why not?” Buzz was doing his best not to breathe through his nose.

  “Why not what?” The small man was still busy tucking the blanket around the squiggling, downy bodies of the piglets.

  “Why shouldn’t we go across that valley?” Buzz could hear the impatience in his voice.

  “Got two of my biggest pigs, Erym and Caly, down there, haven’t I?” the man explained. “And they don’t like strangers. Go around the rim of the crater.”

  “Okay, thanks for the warning,” Mary said. “It won’t add that much time.” She clucked her tongue. “Come on, Skip, let’s go.”

  But Buzz did not move. “We’re going into the crater,” he said. “Cutting across is the faster way to the wisdom path.”

  The small man sighed deeply, got to his feet, and began to lower himself from the ledge. He landed on the path, and as he did so, Buzz noticed that instead of feet, the man had trotters. He was not wearing much—just a ragged cloth around his waist and quite a lot of mud. The small man lifted his chin as he came to stand in front of Buzz and Mary. His eyes were a piercing blue against the muck that was smeared all over his face. “You’re not listening. I’m Priparchis, the god of piglets, and—”

  Buzz snorted despite himself. The god of piglets, he thought. No wonder this guy’s in the Forsaken Territories.

  The small god lifted his chin. “You find something funny, clearly,” he said. “But you won’t be laughing if you go down into that crater.”

  “We can deal with a couple of piggies,” Buzz said. “Especially if they’re in the way of our shortest route.”

  “Eh! Are your ears for listening or decoration?” Ayiyi asked from behind him.

  Buzz hand’s tightened on the reins. “I’m not looking for input right now. I’m looking for results. Come on, Dora.” He snapped the reins, and the horse moved gingerly down the slope into the crater. From the stiff line of her body, Buzz could tell she wasn’t happy about it.

  He heard the sound of galloping hooves from behind him, and Mary appeared at his side, her face furious. “Buzz, that wasn’t very nice of you.”

  “I didn’t do anything!” Buzz exclaimed.

  “You laughed at that poor god.” She frowned at him. “And then just rode off. What’s going on with you? You never used to be mean before.”

  “I’m not.”

  Mary didn’t say anything for a moment, as if she wanted to choose her words carefully. “Listen, I know you’ve got a lot on your mind,” Mary said, “but we’ll sort this out. All of it. We’ll save Sam, we’ll get those runes back, and stop El Tunchi and Berchta.”

  Buzz gave her a thumbs-up.

  “Wow, now I’m getting the sarcastic thumb treatment.”

  Buzz ducked his head. “Okay, maybe that was mean.”

  “Perhaps it’s to be expected.” Mary almost sounded like she was talking to herself.

  “Excuse me?”

  “It’s those armlets.” Mary was looking at Buzz’s wrists. “They’re changing you. Gu said they might.”

  Buzz’s neck and shoulders felt tight. “That’s rubbish. These armlets are what saved me from the giants.” He adjusted his position in the saddle. Ayiyi really took up a lot of room for a spider. Buzz wished he could just ride by himself. “I mean, you were nowhere to be seen.”

  Ayiyi tutted and Mary’s jaw dropped. “I couldn’t get to you,” she said. “Me and Skip tried, but the boulder was in the way.”

  “Sure, sure,” Buzz said. “All I’m saying is that the armlets were there to help me when it counted. They’re a part of me now, so quit criticizing them.”

  “Brother, don’t get too attached,” Ayiyi chirped from behind them as they moved farther down into the crater. “Gu said they’d only work in this realm. Remember?”

  “Will you both just stop talking?” Buzz’s annoyed voice echoed across the hollow. It was answered by a loud guttural roar.

  “Eh. That didn’t sound good,” Ayiyi said.

  Skip had become skittish. “What was that? What made that noise?”

  Mary pointed directly ahead. “That did.”

  Out of a dark cave, a large creature with a thick, bristly body and long tusks that glinted in the sunlight appeared. It stood very still, watching them.

  “Wait a second, that’s not a pig. That’s a monster,” Buzz hissed, even as the boar began to paw at the ground.

  “He’s gonna charge,” Mary said. “We’ve gotta move!”

  Mary and Buzz snapped their reins. Skip galloped in one direction and Dora in another. Looking over his shoulder, Buzz saw the boar looking first at Mary and then over at him.

  It flared its nostrils and made its decision. Lowering its massive head, the boar charged after Skip and Mary.

  Buzz brought Dora to a stop and wheeled her round. “We need to help,” Buzz said as he watched the boar’s pursuit. “They’re not going to be able to outrun it for long.”

  “What are you going to do?” Ayiyi had stood up and was resting many of his legs on Buzz’s shoulder.

  Buzz shrugged him off. “I’m thinking, okay?” He looked down at his armlets. Was he really strong enough to wrestle a boar?

  Another roar ripped through the air, and from the other side of the crater, emerging from the shadows, came a new boar. Buzz gulped. If anything, this one was even bigger. Its tusks were certainly longer.

  “Eh, that’s really not good,” Ayiyi said.

  Thanks for stating the obvious, Buzz thought. The second boar charged toward Mary from the other direction. At any moment she was going to be trapped between them.

  What should I do? What should I do?
Buzz’s brain just wouldn’t work.

  The earth beneath his feet suddenly gave a massive jolt, and then another. The movement uprooted several of the trees that surrounded him and sent them hurtling toward the ground.

  Dora rose onto her hind legs, but Buzz managed to stay in his seat. Ayiyi was not as lucky. He tumbled to the ground. Scrunching himself up into a ball, the spider rolled away from Dora’s flailing hooves.

  Earthquake, Buzz thought. This day just keeps on getting better and better. The ground beneath his feet seemed to be expanding and contracting, almost as if it were alive and charged with energy.

  He searched for Mary. The ground that she and Skip were standing on had risen to a majestic peak, leaving the two boars scrambling to get up its sides. One of the boars already had its front trotters stuck in the earth, while the other tried gouging at the mound with its curling tusks, only to get their razor-sharp length caught there.

  Mary was quite still, almost as if unaware of the devastation around her. From where Buzz stood, he could see the fear in Skip’s face, but Mary’s eyes were closed. Her whole being was bathed in a ruby light as the belt around her waist gave off a fierce red glow. And she was smiling.

  Up ahead, Buzz saw more trees toppling like wooden bowling pins as everything within the crater writhed and flexed again, sending a huge reverberation through the ground.

  Mary’s doing this, Buzz realized, with the help of that belt. And she can’t sto—

  The thought was broken as Buzz saw a giant tree hurtling toward Ayiyi, who was still curled up in a ball.

  “Ayiyi, watch out!” he cried. The spider tried to scuttle away, but he was not quite quick enough. The tree slammed down on top of him.

  “NO!” Buzz rode forward, even as trees continued to fall all around him. As he got closer to Ayiyi, he saw a couple of hairy legs poking out from among the branches, but there was no movement.

  “Ayiyi?” Buzz whispered.

  The spider let out a small groan.

  Buzz dismounted and tore at the branches to reveal the spider’s face. Ayiyi gave him a small smile. “Well, get the rest of this tree off me, then.”